Pakistan

Reko Diq mines: Consultants for scrutiny of feasibility urged

Internationally acclaimed geologist calls for hiring services of international consultants to scrutinise feasibility.

Adil Jawad January 15, 2011

KARACHI: Internationally acclaimed geologist and former head of Resource Development Corporation (RDC) Dr Sabihuddin Bilgrami has called for hiring the services of international consultants to scrutinise the feasibility report prepared by Tethyan Copper Company (TCC) concerning the Reko Diq copper-gold project.

He says that Pakistan lacks experts capable of undertaking large-scale mining, processing and refining jobs locally but through the Reko Diq project, “we could produce a crop of experts”.

In a special interview with the Daily Express, he said mining technology is now pretty advanced. There was a time when mines became workable with 30 to 40 per cent content, but now mines with just one or even half a per cent mineral content are being refined. It is imperative to hire people with expertise in latest mining techniques.

Dr Bilgirami, who earned his degrees in geology from Harvard and Manchester universities, said Reko Diq is not an ordinary project because investment estimates for its development are being put at two to three billion dollars. However, the country’s economy cannot afford making this huge investment on the scheme.

He said the solution to this problem is that the federal and provincial governments hire international firms of good repute. They should be tasked to look closely at the feasibility report prepared by TCC, the drilling done so far and the minerals analysis made. The consultants should tell us to what extent the estimates made by TCC are correct and which parts of the sites should be worked on.

He said in light of this report, an agreement should be signed with TCC or any other company to protect the country’s interest.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 15^th, 2011.

COMMENTS (14)

Syed Abdur Rahim | 13 years ago | Reply I would like to have contact number of Dr. Bilgrami with whom I did work in RDC 1979-85. Thanks.

sohail Subuk | 13 years ago | Reply Reko-Diq is a great opportunity for Pakistan-- and especially Baluchistan to garner--investment and technology transfer in mining. These self proclaimed experts will mess up everyhting if not checked judiciously by the supreme court and the Chief justice. Many people say--we can do this and we can do that-- but FEW can show what they have done!! Pakistan is not onthe moon--it is One of the 200+ countriesd of the UN-- a lot of whom are trying to attract Investments and are Not trying through their stupidity to drive away investment. So let the Foreign Company work at their expertise and build a Mine-- let them set a template We must honor our committments and not renege after 17 years---let them finish th eProject --there are 13,000 sq Miles more-- that others can take--- Why must we go after this small 100 sq mile area and try to subvert someone who has spent so much money and effort already---It will give a very bad signal to foreign investors My advice is to honour our pledges---and let them take the Concentrate and sell it in the open market. Then an Area play will start and 60-70 Companies will come--likje what happened in Indonesia-- Please dont spoil a happening thing, the pakistani nation will curse those who subvert this and take away 12,500 jobs multiplied by 6 or 7 May allah givethe wisdom to all these people,before the company runs away??

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ejaz baloch | 13 years ago | Reply reko-diq project is world-class project each and everything is transparent and clear i don’t understand why Dr.Summer Mubarak and Azim Swati are against of this project they are saying the government of balochistan and Pakistan will run this project the government of balochistan and Pakistan have not any expert to study the feasibility report of the project how it is possible they run this project. i personally request him please don’t misguide the nation

Bashir | 13 years ago | Reply The above exploration companies hold the licenses without any activities in the area. Only TCC (Tethyan Copper Company) is involved exploration activities from 1993 in the area. A geologist will well understand the difficulties of exploration work and rick involve in exploration. It is clear that the exploration activities in advance countries will take more than 10 years. There are many stages with day/night work to explore an area. As a geologist, agree with Dr. Bilgrami suggestions and his professional concept about the country economy, jobs, geology exploration culture in Pakistan, mining activities and development of the area. I read all the statements of Dr. Samar Mubarak which are exaggerating and printing wrong figures. Dr must understand that uranium cannot find in Igneous type of rocks and Reko Diq deposit is in igneous rocks type. He is not able to understand the requirements of porphyry copper deposit system to mine as he mentioned in the news paper. The statements of Samar Mubarak are very similar with Raja Perviez Ashraf federal minister for power& water, where mentioning many times control of electricity shortage in country. International companies waiting for Reko Diq project once start mining in Reko Diq then many other companies will start exploration work in vast area of Tethyan magmatic belt.

Bashir | 13 years ago | Reply We need to consider seriously about this huge copper- gold project, which is appeared on Tethyan magmatic belt. We need to outlook a brief geology history of the Tethyan Magmatic belt. Reko Diq is not first project at Tethyan Magmatic belt, the belt is 3600 Km long and that belt gone through different country like Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan etc where there are enormous deposits like (Recsk, Rosia Montana, Majdanpet, Bor, Chelopech, Kisladag, Copler, Sari Gumay, Ser Chasmeh, Saindak, Reko Diq, Anike etc) explored in above countries and already mining activities at many projects are continue in those countries. Unfortunately our Government people are preparing unreasonable prescription about TCC. A part of Tethyan belt around 500 km long and 140 km wide exposed in Chagai area of Baluchistan Pakistan which start from Nushki to Taftan and some part in Northern area. Reko Diq is a local name of small area at that belt and there are many other copper- gold deposits similar to Reko Diq on this belt, which require geology exploration work. Some other international companies exploring in this belt like lake recourses, Everest gold, Benway etc and mining company is MCC in Saindak.

Junaid Alam | 13 years ago | Reply Dr Bilgrami is a friend of mine since 30 years. I am looking for him . Can Any body e mail me at me his phone number/e mail at jalam12555@msn.com Thank you Junaid

A.Malik | 13 years ago | Reply Projects we cannot handle (Dr A Q Khan) THE NEWS (Monday, January 24, 2011 ) This is very clear message from AQ khan which 200% based on fact, and this is our habit and culture that our doctor is politician, politician is singer, singer is cricketer, every one want to be jack in all trade but unfortunately they are master in none, and interfere in other professional which they do not know the ABC of that, to me the main mission and aim of cancelling this project is due to the shares of Baluchistan, this is first opportunity that Baluchistan has its own business which is very hard for rulers to digest this, the aim is to keep Baloch deprive how much possible and loot there resources. salam to AQ Khan

Ali | 13 years ago | Reply With the size and value of this mine, anyone will be so naive to think that we can trust the opinion or any feasibility report from outside of Pakistan. Some people are totally ignorant about the world that we live in. Moreover, they are talking as if they are on Tatyan's payroll.

Assad Kamal Siddiqui | 13 years ago | Reply Definetly Dr. Bilgrami' suggestion is the first positive, professional and unbiased approach towords the issue. But I may be allowed to request to hire local professionals who have a track record of some decades in this specific field of mining and will be more concern about the country's interest rather having only business interest in their mind.This sprit of thinking for the country or "Pakistan First", is only possible by a local professional. Do not underestimate the local talent who have the foreign experiance at their disposal.

M Bilal | 13 years ago | Reply Very realistic suggestion. Supreme Court should atleast ask government to get the feasibility review done again by both local and international qualified professionals.

Saad | 13 years ago | Reply For the very first time i read a positive and sensable news about this project. I would like to request that instead of Dr. Samar, Dr. Bilgirami must be appointed to support the court because he seems to be the reasonable person to guide the court.

Habib Baloch | 13 years ago | Reply Dr Bilgirami is well known Geologist and we are agree with his suggestion but unfortunately Dr Sammer mubarak is is unable to understand the project.He is miss guiding to Court and Chief Minister of Balochistan.This is fact that Balochistan even federal govt has no expertise to mine or refine gold and copper of reko diq project.

Ahmed | 13 years ago | Reply I have read a lot of news about the project in many papers, unfortunately most of them are exaggerating and printing wrong figures. This is not an ordinary project and no doubt it will boost up the country economy, we have to solve this issue seriously and should hire experts from overseas to study the company feasibility report and mineable minerals and its tonnage. Dr Bilgirami, suggestion is the best option, being a geologist and related experience in this field; he is able to provide the technical support to the Supreme Court batter then a nuclear scientist.

Wowem | 13 years ago | Reply Sounds like common sense as well as good technical and economic sense amid the nonsense surrounding this project. I can't understand how a nuclear scientist, one Mr Mubarakmand is now an authority on advanced and sophisticated mining project and I hope the honorable judges of the Supreme Court can see through this. We seriously need to first define who is an expert in this matter and not fall into our typical idiotic and wasteful 'oh kar lein gay jee', chahey iss say pehlay aap nay tel ka koooaan bhee na khoda ho! Its truly an amazing opportunity which must not be sacrificed to any sort of ignorance, political, economic, technical or judicial!

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